What We Believe

God the Father

We believe in one eternally existent, infinite God, Sovereign of the universe; that He only is God, creative and administrative, holy in nature, attributes and purpose; that He, as God, is Triune in essential being, revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit — three Persons yet one God.

Genesis 1:1; Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Isaiah 5:16; 6:1–7; 40:18–31; Matthew 3:16–17; 28:19–20; John 14:6–27; 1 Peter 1:2

Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Triune Godhead; that He was eternally one with the Father; that He became incarnate by the Holy Ghost and was born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are thus united in one Person very God and very man, the God-man.

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that He truly arose from the dead and took again His body, together with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for us.

Matthew 1:20–25; 16:15–16; Luke 1:26–35; John 1:1–18; Acts 2:22–36; Romans 8:3, 32–34; Philippians 2:5–11; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead, that He is ever present and efficiently active in and with the Church of Christ, convincing the world of sin, regenerating those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers, and guiding into all truth as it is in Jesus.

John 7:39; 14:15–18, 26; 16:7–15; Acts 2:33; 15:8–9; Romans 8:1–27

Original Sin, or Depravity

We believe that original sin, or depravity, is that corruption of the nature of all the offspring of Adam by reason of which everyone is very far gone from original righteousness or the pure state of our first parents at the time of their creation, is averse to God, without spiritual life and inclined to evil and that continually. In the Scriptures, it is spoken of as the carnal mind, the old man and the flesh.

We further believe that original sin continues to exist after regeneration, though suppressed, until crucified (eradicated) and destroyed by the baptism with the Holy Ghost.

Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:12, 5:12–18, 6:6, 7:14, 8:5–8; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Acts 15:8–9; 1 John 3:8

Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption

We believe that justification is that gracious and judicial act of God by which He grants full pardon of all guilt and complete release from the penalty of sins committed and accepts as righteous all who believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Saviour. We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer is spiritually quickened and given a distinctly spiritual life capable of faith, love and obedience.

We believe that adoption is that gracious act of God by which the justified and regenerated believer is constituted a son of God. We believe that justification, regeneration and adoption are simultaneous in the experience of seekers after God and are obtained upon the condition of faith in the merits of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, preceded by repentance, and that to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness.

Romans 3:23–25, 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23

The Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God and the holy obedience of love made perfect. It is wrought by the baptism with the Holy Ghost and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost, empowering the believer for life and service.

Entire sanctification is provided through the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by faith preceded by entire consecration, and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness. This experience is also known by various terms representing its different phases, such as “Christian Perfection,” “Perfect Love,” “Heart Purity,” “the Baptism with the Holy Ghost,” “the Fullness of the Blessing” and “Christian Holiness.”

Romans 6:6, 11, 13, 22; 12:1; 15:16; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 10:14–15; 13:12–13

The Witness of the Spirit

The witness of the Spirit is that inward impression wrought on the soul whereby the Spirit of God immediately and directly assures our spirit that Bible conditions are met for salvation and the work of grace is complete in the soul. Therefore, the Spirit bears witness to both the salvation of the sinner and the sanctification of the believer.

Romans 8:16; Hebrews 10:14–15; 1 John 5:10